Overhead traveling crane with a telescopic hoist drive

ABSTRACT

An overhead traveling crane characterized by a horizontal frame extending between a pair of spaced tracks and movable therealong, a carriage supported on and movable along the frame, a cable winch on the carriage and having a lifting cable thereon, reversible means at one end of the frame for turning the winch and comprising a telescopic rotatable shaft extending between said means and the winch, and the shaft being operatively connected to the winch.

United States Patent 1 Angus 1 June 24, 1975 OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE WITH A TELESCOPIC HOIST DRIVE [75] Inventor. John H. Angus, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: May 8, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 468,338

[52] US. Cl. 212/20; 212/18 [51] Int. Cl. B66c 17/00 [58] Field of Search 212/18-20 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,279 l/1883 Capen 212/18 517,078 3/1894 True 212/18 903,601 11/1908 Miller et a1.

3,339 753 9/1967 Forster et a1. .11212/20 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 188,040 3/1964 Sweden 214/670 Primary Examiner-Robert J. Spar Assistant Examiner-R. B. Johnson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-L. P. Johns [57] ABSTRACT An overhead traveling crane characterized by a horizontal frame extending between a pair of spaced tracks and movable therealong, a carriage supported on and movable along the frame, a cable winch on the carriage and having a lifting cable thereon, reversible means at one end of the frame for turning the winch and comprising a telescopic rotatable shaft extending between said means and the winch, and the shaft being operatively connected to the winch.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUN 2 4 I975 SHEET BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION U.S. Pat. Nos. 290,260, 345,736, and 1,375,908 are well known in the art. Such cranes, however, have a disadvantage of a relatively-high profile which cause difficulty with installation where the positions for location of tracks on which the crane travels are too close to a roof or ceiling. Any expenses incurred in making adjustments for clearance between the crane and such roof or ceiling are frequently excessive.

Associated with the foregoing is the problem of transmitting motion to the cable winch where a crane is operated manually instead of automatically, such as by the use of electric motors. Movable cranes which are operated manually have presented problems of transmitting motion to the cable winch. One solution of the problem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 156,028, issued Oct. 20. 1874, to J. L. Lewis, which discloses a vertical wall crane having an extension shaft which is inclined at an angle to a horizontal plane. An overhead traveling crane having such an extension shaft inclined at an angle from the winch would be inconvenient in many uses. Accordingly, there is a need for manually operated overhead traveling cranes in which motion to the cable winch is transmitted horizontally from one end of the frame on which the winch supporting carriage is located.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention it has been found that the foregoing need may be satisfied by providing an overhead traveling crane for movement along a pair of spaced horizontal elevated tracks, the crane comprising a horizontal frame extending between the tracks, means comprising wheels for moving the'frame along the tracks, a carriage supported on and movable along the frame, a winch journaled on the carriage and having a lifting cable having one end thereof wound around the winch and the other end depending therefrom, reversible means for turning the winch and comprising a manually rotatable wheel, an endless chain for rotating the wheel, a telescopic rotatable shaft extending between the rotatable wheel and the winch, and the telescopic shaft comprising a tubular portion operatively connected to the rotatable wheel and an elongated portion operatively connected to the winch.

The advantage of the device of this invention is that a telescopic drive for a cable winch is disposed within the profile of the frame and extends from one end thereof to the carriage, whereby motion is transmitted from the end of the frame to the cable winch on the carriage and whereby a relatively low crane profile is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an overhead traveling crane;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings an overhead crane is generally indicated at 3 and it comprises a horizontal frame 5, a carriage 7, and means generally indicated at 9 for reversibly turning a cable winch 11 on the carriage. The crane 3 is mounted on spaced tracks 13 and 15 which are mounted on a suitable supportmeans, such as a post 17, which comprises a portion of a vertical wall. A roof 19 is disposed above thev crane 3 in relatively close proximity thereof.

Opposite ends of the frame 5 are provided with wheels 21 and 23 on the rails or tracks 13 and 15, respectively. Each end of the frame is supported by similar end members 25 to provide sufficient head room between frame 5 and a load to which a cable 27 is attached.

As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 5 comprises a pair of spaced parallel beams 29 and 31 which serve as tracks for wheels 33 which are disposed at each corner of the carriage 7. To provide limits for a length of travel of the carriage 7 stop members 35 and 37 extend between the beams 29 and 31 .on the frame.

The carriage 7 comprises a carriage frame 39 which is a rectangular member on which the wheels 33 are mounted. The'upper end of the carriage frame 39 is disposed sufficiently below the roof or ceiling 19 to avoid any appurtenance or fixtures thereon, such as lights.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, the cable winch 11 is a rotatable drum disposed between a pair of spaced flanges 41 and 43 and is mounted on an axial 45 disposed between opposite sides of the rectangular carriage frame 39. The upper end portion of the cable 27 is attached to the winch and is wrapped around the drum portion in a conventional manner. In addition, the winch 11 includes a worm wheel 47 and a worm wheel 49 for turning the winch clockwise or counterclockwise. A worm and worm-wheel are used because of the mechanical advantage gained as well as the selflocking feature when the crane is loaded; the gears will not drive backward. The worm 49 drives the worm wheel 47 which is fastened directly on the drum or winch 11. The winch 11 is preferably rotatably mounted on the shaft 45, instead of being fixedly mounted or pinned on the shaft. Thus, the shaft 45 does not turn and a less expensive structure is required due to the lack of shaft bearings. This also contributes to a lower profile.

The turning means 9 for operating the winch comprises a manually rotatable wheel or sprocket wheel 51, a telescopic shaft 53, and an endless chain 55. The telescopic shaft 53 comprises a tubular shaft 57 and a solid shaft 59. The solid shaft 59 has noncircular crosssection, such as square, and the inner cross-section of the tubular shaft 57 has a corresponding cross-section in order to accommodate longitudinal movement of the shaft 57 therein. The left end of the shaft 59, as viewed in the drawings, is mounted in a journal 61 in a cross frame member 63. The sprocket wheel is mounted on the outer end portion of the tubular shaft 57 and the endless chain 55 is disposed over and around the sprocket wheel 51 so that movement of the chain at the lower end by an operator turns the sprocket wheel as well as the telescopic shaft 53. The positions of the tubular and solid shafts 57 and 59 may be interchanged without affecting operation of the crane 3.

The right end of the solid shaft 59 is rotatably mounted at 65 in opposite end portions of the carriage frame 39; the worm 49 is mounted on the portion of the shaft 59 between said opposite end portions. Accordingly, as the solid shaft 59 rotates, the worm 49 turns the worm wheel 47 in a conventional manner, thereby raising or lowering the cable 27.

Inasmuch as the crane 3 is a wholly manually operated crane, the carriage is moved along the beams 29 and 31 manually by an operator grasping the lower end of the cable 27 and pulling the carriage to the right or left as viewed in the drawings. Likewise, the crane may be moved over the tracks 13 and 15 by pulling the cable 27 in the desired direction. Moreover, the crane 3 may also be moved over the tracks 13 and 15 by pulling on the endless chain 55.

Accordingly, the device of this invention satisfies the need for a manually operated overhead traveling crane by providing motion transmitting or turning means which are completely confined within the profile of the frame on which the carriage is mounted.

What is claimed is:

1. An overhead traveling crane comprising a pair of elevated tracks, a horizontal frame extending between the pair of tracks, means comprising first wheels for moving the frame along the pair of tracks, a carriage supported on and movable along the frame, a winch journaled on the carriage and having a lifting cable having one end thereof wound around the winch and the other end depending therefrom, reversible means rotatably mounted in said horizontal frame for turning the winch and including a manually rotatable wheel and a telescopic rotatable shaft extending between the rotatable wheel and the winch, one end of the telescopic shaft being operatively connected to the winch, and the manually rotatable wheel being mounted on the other end of the telescopic shaft.

2. The overhead traveling crane of claim 1 in which an endless chain is operatively connected to said rotatable wheel for rotation thereof.

3. The overhead traveling crane of claim 1 in which the reversible means for turning the winch are located at the one end of the frame.

4. The overhead traveling crane of claim 3 in which the telescopic shaft comprises a tubular portion and an elongated portion, one of the portions being connected to said rotatable wheel and the other portion being connected to the winch.

5. The overhead traveling crane of claim 4 in which the tubular portion is connected to said rotatable wheel and said other portion is connected to the winch.

6. The overhead traveling crane of claim 5 in which said other portion of the telescopic shaft comprises a worm connected to a worm wheel on the winch.

7. The overhead traveling crane of claim 6 in which the winch is rotatably mounted on a shaft which shaft is fixedly mounted on the carriage. 

1. An overhead traveling crane comprising a pair of elevated tracks, a horizontal frame extending between the pair of tracks, means comprising first wheels for moving the frame along the pair of tracks, a carriage supported on and movable along the frame, a winch journaled on the carriage and having a lifting cable having one end thereof wound around the winch and the other end depending therefrom, reversible means rotatably mounted in said horizontal frame for turning the winch and including a manually rotatable wheel and a telescopic rotatable shaft extending between the rotatable wheel and the winch, one end of the telescopic shaft being operatively connected to the winch, and the manually rotatable wheel being mounted on the other end of the telescopic shaft.
 2. The overhead traveling crane of claim 1 in which an endless chain is operatively connected to said rotatable wheel for rotation thereof.
 3. The overhead traveling crane of claim 1 in which the reversible means for turning the winch are located at the one end of the frame.
 4. The overhead traveling crane of claim 3 in which the telescopic shaft comprises a tubular portion and an elongated portion, one of the portions being connected to said rotatable wheel and the other portion being connected to the winch.
 5. The overhead traveling crane of claim 4 in which the tubular portion is connected to said rotatable wheel and said other portion is connected to the winch.
 6. The overhead traveling crane of claim 5 in which said other portion of the telescopic shaft comprises a worm connected to a worm wheel on the winch.
 7. The overhead traveling crane of claim 6 in which the winch is rotatably mounted on a shaft which shaft is fixedly mounted on the carriage. 